Strut for brake beams



July 1, 1930. a D. PATERSON STRUT FOR B RAKE BEAMS Filed May is, 1928 12 v F 1 3 l1 3 [HI/sul an I Patented-July 1 19:30 I

T ES- DAVID IPAIEBSON,'OF rononro, enu ate s'ranr r03 BRAKE seams Application filed m .15,

I rigid strut formed with a squared end adapted to engage the beam with the lever slot sloping either right or left and the opposite end cross notched to embrace the brace rod whether turned right or left,

In the drawings, Figure V1 is a plan view of a brake beam shown in its relation to a pairof wheels and showing the mountingof the brake lever. v

Figure 2 is'an enlarged elevational view of the strut showing the lever slot.- I

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational View of the strut taken at right angles to Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional-view through the strut and brake lever taken. at the pivot pin.

Figure 5 i'sian enlarged perspective View of the strut, and Figure 6 is a perspective detail ofa modified form of strut;

In railway practice it has beennecessary for car shops and maintenance departmentsto maintain a supply of right and leftzbrake beam struts and very much inconvenience with loss of time and tie-up of cars has resulted in the improper maintenance of stocks of right and left struts. It is thepurpose of this invention to provide a strut which may be used for either ,right orileft assembly.

Inthe construction of strut herein shown, the main body of the casting 1 is of an elon- .,ga;ed rectangular form having a rectangular slot 2 arranged between two parallel side 7 members 3 each reinforced with longitudinal edge flanges 4. The side members 3converge at one end to a narrow neck'portion 5 which is flared outwardly into a box-like structure 6 which has rectangular openings? arranged in right angular relation and-extending com,- pl etely through thebox end '6 at right angles to the axis of the strut. r The openings 7 are adapted toreceive the of their length to receive very, easily and quic'kly assembled in a and when placed in position it may,'ifde-t 192s; senarnmzrzsea channel'bar beam 8 sothat the levers'lot' 2 is inclined eitherto'the right or to-the' left as, a maybe'desired I v r p A hole '9 encircled/by a flange 10' is ark rangediineach-of theside members'8 midway p and hold the'pivot pinfll of the brakelev'er12-which extends throughthe slot."

The outer end f r I s thestrutis flared to form a rectangular end which, is recessed in the end" face-with right angularly; intersecting -semtcylindrical grooves 13 arranged in parallel alignmentwith the openings v and these are adaptedto receive and hold, the angled brace rod 14, the ends of which pass angularlyithrou'ghthe shoe heads15 secured to'the ends oft'h'ebeam.

The device is extremely simple and by reason: of: its simplicity and rigid structure it is beam sired," be secured from longitudinal IIlOVG-Q ment' by' a bolt 16' which may be "passed through the web of the beam 8 and through the hole 17 inthe end of the box end ,6. p Z It will be readily 'seen'fthat in assembling the component parts of a beamthe strut here in des'cribe'dmayb'e placed at either a right 7 I 1 eft angle whichever may be desired and if in cases of emergency where an assembled beam is available but'it is not the angle required it is a very simple matter to remove the brace rod and heads and reverse the strut. v y In the form of the invention shown in Fig-' I V ure '6 the beam' end of the strut is formed with a box-shaped end 18; adaptedlto fit be? tweenthe flanges 1'9 ofthe channel compression member 8 of the beam and abut the web and it is secured in place by a bolt 20 passed through the flanges of said head.

What I'claim as my invention is 1. A strut for brake beams,"comprising the combination with the flanged beam of a longitudinally slotted strut member having a rigid squared end integral therewith adapted to engage the flanges ofsaid beamto lock said member rigidly'in position with the slot I at either a right or left inclined angle, said member having notches in the other end adapted to receive the brake beam bracerod.

2. A strut for brake beams, comprising the combination with the flanged beam,,of 'a longitudinally slotted member having a boxshaped end formed integral therewith with right angularly disposed intersecting-openings in the sides arranged in acuteangular relation'to the slot adapted to receive the flanged beam, said member having a right a11- gularly notched outer end. V

3. A strut for brake beams, comprising the combination with the flanged beam, of a longitudinally slotted member having a rectan gular'box-shaped end formed with-rectangular openings extending therethrough iand intersecting at right angles and arranged in acute angular relation to theslot, either of.

said openings being adapted to receive said flanged beam, the outer end of said'slotted member. having intersecting right angularly disposed slots,'and a fastening bolt extending through the end wall of said box-shaped end and the web of said beaminaxial align ment with said slotted memberzi-or securing the latter in its adjusted position on the beam.

'4. A strut for brake beams, comprising the combination with the flanged beam, of a longitudinally slotted strut member having a rigid squared end integral therewith adapted to engage the flanges of said beam to lock said member rigidly in position with the slot at either a right or left inclined angle, said member having notches in the other end adapted to receive the brake beam brace rod, and means for retaining said squared end portion in intimate engagement with the flanges of said beam. 7

5. A strut for brake beams, comprising the combination with the flanged beam, of a longitudinally slotted member having a boxshaped end formed integral therewith with rightangularly disposed intersecting openings in the sides arranged in acute angular relation to the slot adapted to receive the flanged beam, said member having a right angularly notched outer end, the end of said box-shaped end having an opening therein adapted when the beam extends through either of said intersecting openings to register I with an opening in said beam, and a fasten ingibolt extending through the aligned head 1 and beam openings. V a

1 DAVID PATERSON. 

